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Public Houses: Closures

Answer

ONS data shows there were over 600 more hospitality businesses in 2025 than in 2024. We continue to closely monitor the health of different sectors across the UK economy, including pubs and hospitality, and regularly engage with these sectors – including on the High Street Strategy which will be published later this year.

This Government has demonstrated its support to the hospitality sector. We have also already started the work of reforming our business rates system by introducing new permanently lower multipliers for eligible retail, hospitality and leisure properties. These new multipliers are worth nearly £1 billion per year and benefit over 750,000 properties.

We have extended opening hours for Home Nations games in England and Wales for the Men’s Football World Cup and backing “pavement pints” with a commitment to make it easier for hospitality businesses to serve food and drink outside by cutting unnecessary bureaucracy.

In addition, the Government has also doubled the Hospitality Support Fund to £10 million which will help rural pubs to diversify and ensure they can continue to be vital community hubs. We have also ended upward-only rent review clauses and new Community Right to Buy legislation will strengthen powers for local people to buy assets like hospitality venues and pubs before they are lost – keeping them in the hands of the community.

On top of this, we have temporarily reduced rate of VAT over the summer holidays on family attractions as well as children’s meals and tickets to the theatre and cinema. This will provide a much-needed boost for families and drive more footfall towards pubs and hospitality businesses where children’s meals will also benefit from the discount.

Secondary information

Type

Written question

Reference

9463

Session

2026-27

Subjects

Closures Public houses Rural areas

Contains statistics

Yes

Link

View this Written question on www.parliament.uk